Thought Pocket Blog - October 2022
There's a real autumnal feel to the air lately.
I love October because one of my favourite shows takes place at the start of it.
Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace will always hold a special place in my heart. It was where I met my sister Suraya Hossain who runs Mahliqa. We were back to back neighbours in the early years! Many makers who I have met over the years have also become firm friends and it is great to catch up once a year face to face.
The Textile Gallery is one of the only places that you can see contemporary textile art alongside those that love it. Home to independent makers it also houses spectacular textile exhibitions. This year was spectacular with exhibitions from Maggie Scott, Marcia Bennett-Male and Archana Pathak. Alongside the 62 Group and recent graduates. Be sure to look up these exceptional artists who really are using textiles to convey a message and also a challenge, like all good art does.
This year I had a fantastic time because (and many of you will understand this) I finally got my stand set up right! I only have a small space because I am usually on my own, so every centimetre counts. I always battle between the selling side and the exhibiting side of things. I want people to love the craft as much as I want them to buy kits. Art is the idea and I love how that makes me feel. After trialling many a set up I now have my dream one. It's important that the stand is easy to set up so I have gone full "dismantle-able" using stands from Paper Lounge, shelves from Dust Shack and good old brown paper to cover the kits in boxes. I am so pleased with it.
Lots of comments about it and how it really showed off my work also added to the complete ego trip that can only come after 8 years of doing these type of shows!!!
It was also the first outing of my new Thought Pockets range. This range has been growing as an idea over the last year and it was really well received. Thought Pockets as a project will feature from here on in for at least the next two years. I will be creating a podcast, regular thought mailings and patterns dedicated to this size of daytime intervention. Please sign up to my mailing list to receive weekly thoughts, ideas and a free pattern (not only for thought pockets) once a month. Let's hold that thought with each other more often.
Alongside the show I have also worked on a new pdf only pattern range that is based on using only 4 shapes. These shapes are part of the Lego Dots range and are really simple but super stylish. Very colourful but with the aim that they will help you use your stash, they will be released during November and as a series throughout 2023.
Seem strange to say 2023, feels like we should be flying around in space and eating tablets for food!
Thanks for reading and happy stitching.
See you at the end of November!
Tina